When winter hits the photo business slows way down, especially if you live in an area where it gets cold and/or snows. Look, fall is my jam, so I get how you’re probably feeling. I truly do love it. The colors, the weather, everything but I am here to tell you that winter can be just as magical (if not more) as fall for having photos taken. Family, couple, wedding, lifestyle, whatever it is you’re wanting, I’ll tell you why you should do it in the winter.

Nobody does it. How many people do you know that get their photos taken during the winter months? A handful maybe? None? Your photos will stand out. A gorgeous snowy background with you snuggled up for warmth? It doesn’t get better.

You get to cuddle! No matter what the photo session, if it’s in the winter you get to cuddle basically throughout the whole session. A little family (or couple) all wrapped up in a big blanket with the cutest winter hats, scarves, boots, and mittens? Plus your kids will actually want to cuddle with you during your session, score!

Your Holiday cards actually look like Holiday cards. How often do you get Christmas/New Year/Holiday cards of people in a sunny green field with their family? Always? Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE summer sessions. I love the light and the warmth and how much you can actually do in a summer session, but when it comes to holiday cards, it should look like the holidays. Right?

It can be cheaper. Being that winter is the slow season, some photographers have winter sales to try to drum up some business or they have crazy Black Friday deals for winter sessions. Either way, I would take advantage.

You won’t sweat your makeup off and there’s no humidity to ruin your hair. I know that sounds dumb, but that can wreck summer photos in a heartbeat (I’ve seen it)! There’s nothing worse than getting your photos back and hating that your hair fell flat (or poofed up) or your makeup is a little smudgy. In the winter you have nothing to worry about.

Faster turn around times. As if it hasn’t been covered enough, I’ll say it a little louder for the people in the back: winter is sloooow for photographers (well, most of them at least). This means that they [usually] have fewer sessions in their editing queue and more time to get your photos back to you. Some summer wait times can take up to (depending on the photographer) six weeks, or longer for weddings!

Sweaters, hats, and scarves. Winter/fall fashion is the best fashion, (especially if you’re self-conscious about your body). You can finally wear what you want to wear for family photos and not worry about dying from a heat stroke! Layers, cute hats for the whole fam, and a scarf to tie it all together, maybe even your favorite jacket, need I say more?

Snowy deats. If you’re lucky enough to have had a winter photoshoot when it’s actually snowing then ya know what I’m talking about. When you see a photo of your littlest with snowflakes on their gorgeous long eyelashes you. will. MELT. Don’t have little ones? Well when you see the snowflakes falling around you and your love, getting in your hair and all over your cute clothes, you will also melt.

Well, there ya have it. We almost always end up taking our photos in the winter (maybe because I’m usually too busy any other time of the year to actually get photos done or maybe because winter is the best, we’ll never know) and I’m always in love with them. If you’re a winter skeptic, I encourage you to bear the cold for just a little bit and see how magical your photos can really be.

8 reasons winter photoshoots are better than any other season